This invention relates to electrical switches or other electrical components and, more particularly, to the means of connecting such components to the circuits to which they interface. While electrical switches have been used for a variety of purposes and have taken many forms, the means used to connect them to external electrical circuits have been limited. Previously used connections have included the use of soldered, welded or crimped terminals and other connectors such as threaded fasteners which are used to complete the conductive path between the terminals of the component and the external circuit. In each of these methods of connection, the means used to connect the switch to an external circuit involves a substantial number of parts and significant manual labor and/or manufacturing steps associated with the connection process. When this multiplicity of manufacturing steps, connecting components and labor is added to the mounting labor and components, it can be seen that the installation of the switch in most subassemblies utilizing them represents significant cost and complexity in the manufacturing process.
With the increased automation of manufacturing processes and high cost of skilled labor, it has become very desirable to develop components and assemblies which can be simply and reliably assembled by machines or unskilled labor in a relatively small number of operations. As described above, the current systems for connecting switches to external circuits and mounting the switches in subassemblies do not readily lend themselves to this type of automated process, so there is a need for an economical, simple, easily assembled mounting and connection system for switches.